Legion Baseball State Tournament Starts Thursday
ESCANABA---Several Lower Peninsula American Legion Baseball teams have dropped out of the Class A State Tournament scheduled to begin on Thursday in Escanaba. That means that it will be just four teams involved in the double-elimination event. The Escanaba Cubs paid $10,000 for the right the host the event, and a committee has been planning this tournament for months. Originally, this was going to be the usual six-team tournament, with Escanaba getting in as the host, along with the U.P. Zone five champion. But a downstate team dropped out, adding the U.P.'s third place team. The tournament was ready to move forward with three teams from downstate, and three from the Upper Peninsula. But then, Sanford, from the Midland area, dropped out. American Legion officials got Gladwin, which hosted last year's state finals, to take Sanford's spot. But on Tuesday, Gladwin and Petoskey both told tournament officials that they were having a hard time finding enough players to fill their rosters. With the start of the tournament near, and the banquet set for Wednesday evening, the bracket was redrawn with four teams: Escanaba, Marquette, Gladstone, and Hudson. Thursday's schedule sees Marquette face Hudson at 5:00, and then Escanaba will take on Gladstone at 8:00. Catch the broadcast of the Escanaba/Gladstone game on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. |